Article

Curriculum and instruction go hand in hand when it comes to meeting standards. Without a strong curriculum, instruction becomes lost and weak. Curriculum guides instruction and without curriculum there is no instruction. My theory is based on research and classroom experience as a teacher. The foundation for building a curriculum comes from having a strong, detailed and well thought out standard. Standards that lack organization provide a weak foundation to build the curriculum. Since curriculum and instruction are so closely related, it takes constant communication with the curriculum committees and teachers. Once the standard is set, the curriculum is put into place as a means of meeting those standards. The instruction that is taught is the how the curriculum and the standards will be achieved and fulfilled. Curriculum and instruction share a very close relationship. One cannot work without the other and both the curriculum must be strong in order for students to succeed. 

On the state of California Department of Education’s website it states that curriculum is, “information for improving student academic achievement of content standards by communicating policy and expectations and supporting districts by providing instructional guidance” (CA Dept of Education). Additionally, Partnership for 21st Century skills also states that “curriculum is essentially a design or roadmap for learning, and as such focuses on knowledge and skills that are judged important to learn.” Instruction is the means by which that learning will be achieved. This further supports the theory that curriculum and instruction go hand in hand; there can be no one without the other.

In the state of California, not only do curriculum and instruction work hand in hand, but so does the department of education and the district for the betterment of the students. Teaching students does not fall only on the teacher’s shoulders. With communication of policies and making the expectations clear, they are able to work toward the goal of improving student’s education and helping students meet the academic standards. The education of our youth is a community responsibility, not the primary or sole responsibility of one stakeholder or another (Lederman, 2001)
Constant communication between the curriculum committee and instructors is necessary to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Without this communication, the curriculum becomes lost and so does the instruction. “Curriculum is the content of what is taught along with an overall process of how that content is to be taught, and instruction being the more detailed plans and the way those plans are implemented in order to teach the curriculum content, it becomes easy to understand that the two must be compatible in order to maximize student learning” (Yates 2000).

To effectively teach students, teachers and staff must keep in mind that all students including special needs students learn in different ways. When creating a curriculum based on the standards, we must keep in mind how we will reach students with learning disabilities to ensure that they too strive to meet standards.

Curriculum and instruction take constant communication within the educational system for the benefit of the student. Curriculums are created from standards which are constantly changing and demanding more of students every year. As a result, the curriculum must also change and so should the instruction the helps to meet those standards. Students with learning disabilities and those without must get instruction that helps them retain the information being taught. The curriculum must take into account the different types of learners in the schools system and cater the curriculum to them. The instruction that is given is a more specific roadmap that will reach all learners. All in all both the curriculum and instruction are an essential part of education and meeting standards. Without either one, there is no way to effectively meet set standards.
 

References

21st Century Partnership (2007). Retrieved June 10, 2008 from,

http://www.21stcenturyskills.org/documents/21st_century_skills_curriculum_and_instruction.pdf

Curriculum and Instruction. California Department of Education. Retrieved June 10 from, 2008

         http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/

Lederman, N. G. (March 2001). Curriculum and instruction: Whose life is this anyway? School

         and Science Mathematics. Retrieved June 10, 2008 from,

         http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3667/is_200103/ai_n8928991/print
Yates, Russell (2000). Curriculum Overview. Retrieved June 10, 2008 from,

http://www.multiage-education.com/russportfolio/curriculumtopics/curoverview.htm